Opening Day 2003 is a memorable game for all the wrong reasons. That’s the game when Derek Jeter dislocated his left shoulder by sliding into third base and Ken Huckaby’s catching gear just two-and-a-half innings into the new season. The Cap’n spent 42 days on the disabled list, and his replacement at shortstop was a player that Baseball America considered the team’s 24th best prospect: Erick Almonte. He made a great first impression, going 2-for-5 with a homer in his first big league start two days later. It all went downhill from there though, Almonte mustered just a .260/.321/.350 batting line (.303 wOBA) in 111 plate appearances in Jeter’s stead, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since that season. The Yankees signed Almonte as a 19-year-old free agent out of the Dominican Republic fifteen years ago today, and although his tenure in pinstripes was forgettable, he’ll always be the guy the Yankees turned to when Jeter hit the shelf. That’s gotta count for something, right?
Anyways, here’s your open thread for the evening. The Knicks are playing the Nets, though it is Saturday night. I recommend going out because the work week will begin before you know it.
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